Elisabeth Borne brought together several ministers at Matignon on Monday evening on the fuel shortage that threatens France. If the strike continues in the refineries of Total, an agreement has been reached at Esso-ExxonMobil.
Will the dry breakdown which threatens French motorists really be resolved within the week? Barely returned from a trip to Algeria, Elisabeth Borne summoned several ministers urgently, Monday evening, to take stock of the situation. Where are we on Tuesday, October 11?
The government threatens to intervene
“The government cannot let the country be blocked,” commented Elisabeth Borne’s entourage after the meeting, late Monday evening. “He will continue to take measures to facilitate the supply of stations as he has been doing for several days, but everyone must take their responsibilities. The government will take theirs”. No decision has been taken officially on the attitude that the government could take.
guest of RTL this Tuesday morning, government spokesman Olivier Véran was clear: “The government calls for all blockages to be lifted without delay, otherwise we will do what is necessary to lift them”.
#Fuel “The government calls for all the blockages to be lifted without delay, otherwise we will do what is necessary to lift them”, @olivierveran in #RTLMatin with @amandine_begot pic.twitter.com/uTwmBJJ9kl
—RTL France (@RTLFrance) October 11, 2022
The government has the option of requisitioning refinery strikers to return to work. For several days, the State has been drawing on its strategic oil reserves to supply stations. TotalEnergies imported fuel into France at the same time.
Emmanuel Macron reacted Monday afternoon: “Blocking is not a way of negotiating”.
The strike continues at TotalEnergies
The CGT of TotalEnergies has decided to continue the strike this Tuesday, October 11 to obtain a salary increase of 10% taking inflation into account. Three TotalEnergies refineries are completely shut down: in Normandy, in Feyzin (Rhône) and La Mède (Bouches-du-Rhône) as is a fuel depot near Dunkirk (North). Fifteen motorway service stations are joining the strike movement from today.
CGT employees on strike at the Gonfreville-l’Orcher refinery in Normandy.
A wage agreement at Esso-ExxonMobil
The strike affecting the oil giant Esso-ExxonMobil should end. Two majority unions, CFDT and CFE-CGC voted for an agreement with management for a 6.5% wage increase in 2023 and a value-sharing bonus of 3,000 euros. The CGT was put in the minority. Esso-ExxonMbil operates two refineries in Normandy and Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône).
Limited fuel sales
Faced with the shortage, the prefects of three departments have decided to limit the refueling to 30 liters for all: the Var, the Vaucluse and the Alpes de Haute-Provence. During the day, all the prefects will ban the sale of fuel in jerrycans in their departments. Monday evening, 29.4% of service stations were in difficulty at the national level (against 29.7% on Sunday).
The blow of the breakdown for several professions
Independent nurses, school transport, road transport, craftsmen, taxis: many professions consume a large amount of fuel every day. Liberal nurses’ unions demanded Monday evening “priority access” to all stations in order to be able to maintain home care. The Rhône firefighters are asking for fuel as a priority so that the staff can reach the barracks.
The TotalEnergies logo near Le Havre, October 5, 2022.
Prices are going up again
Diesel prices jumped 10 cents per liter on average last week to 1.8035 per litre. Unleaded 95-E10 is sold on average at €1.5914 (+7.29 cents) and unleaded 95 at €1.6440 (+7 cents). The decline had been uninterrupted for several weeks. A barrel of Brent rose to $98.75 on Monday evening.